CBS might have bought the line of baloney former CIA Director George Tenet was selling on “60 Minutes” Sunday. However, according to the Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz, not many others are (emphasis mine throughout, h/t Glenn Reynolds):
Somewhere out there, there must be someone defending George Tenet. I'm just having trouble finding that person (or persons).
Let's see: Liberals are ticked off. Conservatives feel betrayed. Ex-CIA types are angry. White House officials are playing defense. That pretty much runs the gamut, doesn't it?
Yeah, pretty much Howard. He deliciously continued:
I can't get beyond the following: Whatever Tenet's strengths and weaknesses as CIA director, he quit three years ago. He accepted a presidential medal of freedom and then remained silent--until now, when he's peddling a book. If he felt so strongly about these intelligence issues, about the rush to war in Iraq, about the way he says he's been besmirched, why didn't he speak out before now? How does he justify having remained silent?
As Kurtz pointed out, he's not alone in these sentiments:
Arianna [Huffington] says Tenet should have fallen on his sword:
"Does this sound familiar? A senior Bush administration official plays a key role in selling the Iraq war debacle to the American public, resigns a few years later, and then tries to distance himself from Bush and the war by writing a book or talking to Bob Woodward, portraying himself as a poor, hapless victim who knew the truth at the time and really, really wanted to tell it, but, somehow, just had no choice but to go along . . .
"He's about four years too late. Tenet seems to believe there's a major distinction between lying and standing by silently while others lie, and then proudly receiving a Medal of Freedom from the liars.
"He could have simply resigned and freed himself to 'tell the truth.' Tenet acts as if resignation were not an option. But it was."
Seems fairly obvious, except of course to the folks at CBS who are always willing to help a former Bush administration official promote tell-all books about this White House.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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George Tenent
May 1, 2007 - 19:55 ET by pbthinkerLike, just about everyone else who hasn't read the book, I can only go by the sound-bites I've seen and heard. It does seem he wrote a book to make money and get back at Bush/Cheney for their comments on his "slam dunk" statement.
It seems, for the most part, the media has been relatively silent on this book, so I assume there isn't too much to nail Bush on. Most of that was done in the first week and the libs haven't been trumpeting that, as much as they've been attacking Tenent.
At least he seems to have discounted the "Bush lied, people died" mantra for a couple of weeks anyway.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
George Tenet "BOOK"
May 3, 2007 - 00:23 ET by Roger_IsomI have heard about this and can POLITELY ask only one question to the people out their with SOMETHING akin to COMMON SENSE.....
NOTICE the TWO NAMES he DIDN'T heep praise on in his OPENING STATEMENT?????
Their names were NOTICEBLY missing...
their names JIMMY CARTER AND STANFIELD TURNER!!!!
If he goes DOWN it APPEARS they aren't FAR BEHIND PEOPLE!!! Listen tothat interview and ask...
WHY DIDN'T TENET PRAISE THEM????
That is ALL I need to say.
Medal of Freedom Material?
May 1, 2007 - 21:23 ET by acumen"......the rush to war in Iraq..."
Which Iraq war? I guess it doesn't matter. Both times it took stacks of UN resolutions, a permission slip from Congress and months and months of coalition building, planning and logistics. Has Websters changed the definition of rush or as in HufnPuff's use of the word debacle, it just works well when pushing an agenda?
Ed pet peeve here.
I happened to catch a clip on FOX of Tenet taken from his 60 Minutes case for the defense and it is really scary to think this guy was running the CIA. But that does kind of explains why Valerie Plame worked there.... Like Rush, I marvel at Bush giving Tenet the medal of freedom. Similar to giving an unruly child a treat to shut him up for awhile I suppose.
Oh- Valerie Plame now, who wa
May 1, 2007 - 22:47 ET by MobiusStripOh- Valerie Plame now, who was an expert on nuclear proliferation in Iran, covert- by the CIA's own classification (and which status the CIA used, by the way, in pre-trial motion to keep her from testifying- pretty ballsy refutation of Rush's assertion that she was a "Desk Jockey"). Had to throw her into the mix, eh? Couldn't find any citations for a Clinton? But I do agree that Bush handed out Medals like candy... similar to the guy in the black sedan at the grade school curb. Or maybe "don't tell Mommy about this, and here's some ice cream." Yes, Bush knows how to shut people up, alright. The mark of a true Leader.
ms,your buddy clinton cruse m
May 2, 2007 - 00:04 ET by upcountrywaterms,
your buddy clinton cruse missled (06/26/93 ) baghbad! oh yea at 2:00 am after the bar crowd went home, so polite of him.
1300 IRANIAN GAS CENTRIFUGES MAKING H BOMBS, AND YOU THINK IT'S YOUR RIGHT TO FILL UP, at your "gas station"!
Oh wait a minute there MobStrip
May 2, 2007 - 03:38 ET by SportPoliticsOh wait a minute there MobStrip, I watched the queen me Plame herself declare in congressional testimony, " I don't know what my status was, what do I look like, a lawyer?!" , in response to her questioned covert or not covert status.
I guess it's a bit shy of low end retarded to assume that an uncover cia asset be aware of their own status nowadays, even YEARS after they argued (through various mouthpieces) they had some kind of legally protected status.
Thank you truth teller Toensing.
Oh- Valerie Plame now, who wa
May 2, 2007 - 09:30 ET by pbanks7Oh- Valerie Plame now, who was an expert on nuclear proliferation in Iran, covert- by the CIA's own classification (and which status the CIA used, by the way, in pre-trial motion to keep her from testifying- pretty ballsy refutation of Rush's assertion that she was a "Desk Jockey").
Now let's just use a little of Rush's logic: Ms. Plame leaves the CIA every single day and commutes home. A couple of operatives could easily follow her home and eventually find out who she is. Even if she spotted a tail, eventually, another day, they would find out where she lives, because she goes out that same gate every single day. How covert is that?
It makes me wonder whose side the CIA is on. Were they covering their own butts? All they have to say is "covert" to keep anybody from testifying. I bet the big fuss was all a distraction from the obvious nepotism.
Wilson has been completely discredited. When he wrote the article that started all this fuss, he was working for the Kerry campaign. I can give you more, but brevity...
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
Good job, Howard and Arianna.
May 1, 2007 - 21:29 ET by dahliatraversGood job, Howard and Arianna.
And great point about Tenet smilingly accepting the Medal of Freedom and then writing a blame-everyone-else tell-all. That doesn't quite live up to the spirit of the medal.
Seems like we have something
May 1, 2007 - 22:33 ET by MobiusStripSeems like we have something the left and right can agree on here. But perhaps the point you miss from the left- and perhaps conveniently- is that the likes of suck-ups like Tenet are rife throughout the universe of those serving at the president's pleasure. Another self-proclaiming yes-man who didn't have the cojones to do his job or accept his responsibilities of failure- or is that failed responsibilities- and who then was given the highest accord by Bush elicits no surprise from the left. Or that he wishes to exhonerate himself in history and make some bucks doing it. How many other examples of this lap-dog persona have there been- and how many others will there be? Granted, Bush did not hire Tenet, but he was certainly happy enough to have a DCI that played his game of hide-the-intelligence and rewarded him with the Big Bone. So sorry that he bit the hand that fed him.
Now maybe you good people on the right are seeing what was obvious to others all along.
Sounds good Mobius Strip
May 2, 2007 - 00:58 ET by SportPoliticsSounds good Mobius Strip, but you miss the point like so many others have.
What we have, is the whole lot of Congress, and our Presidents, and the controls on if not the military, UNWILLING to "kill the enemy" with abandon. There's always the " unintended casualties" - or the "geopolitical implications" that win the day.
Everyone also seemed to have missed what Tenet said, over and over again with his finger in the air during the Pelley interview on 60 mins:
" I WAS CERTAIN THERE WERE WMD'SIN IRAQ !!!"
That line, TENET repeated at least twice, is lost, because it means Bush didn't sex up the intel or lie at all, to "lie us into the war".
What appears to be more true than anything else, is the government and the public is very slanted toward the "unwilling to sacrifice lives" in the pursuit of the enemy - UNLESS- a softer - hopefully less bloody and more "diplomatic" war is fought, even if it takes years and years longer....or even becomes a throw away mission.
That's what is really going on, from the destruction of the CIA starting under the Church Commission to the endless cutdown of HUMIT since "the end of the cold war" - to every other excuse we hear all the time, and back to Tora Bora- where 750 of our finest Rangers and Elite Forces would have died by the estimates at the time, if they were to have gone ahead to capture Bin Laden.
See, the problem is were a bit too smart for our own good in some sort of twisted way. 750 top forces werenot going to be sacrificedfor the goal, and since our Military is so professional and knowledgeable about "battles" nowadays,they knew plenty well ahead of time. This of course made the decision to go ahead " not allowable ".
Same when Sandy Berger the underpinch paperboy decided 53 dead women and bin laden jr cohorts was "an inexcusable amount of casualties" - so the attack on binny boys camp was called off.
Gotta say, I can atleast UNDERSTAND the 750 top Troops not being sacrificed by "republicans" - but completely FAIL to understand the demolib jackassed idiot callby BERGER and clinton and associate idiots that 53 foreign terrorist supporters were "too much" of a problem when it came to capturing/ killing bin laden.
So, Bush never lied, the libs did. Bush never sexedup intel, the LIBS LIED about it all after the fact. Now, we have more evidence clear as a bell with Tenet's "I BELIEVED SADDAM had WMD" over and over again, even as he whined that "slam dunk" wasn't the reason the war on Iraq went forward.
Since Tenet is basically a "democrat" - he will get a pass, while the LIES are lofted toward Bush, forevermore.
I can't stand you democrats, and your ilk. Too much dishonesty and lying. I don't blame Tenet, the press lied and ripped away, and still will, no matter what facts they have, and no matter what facts they can never find because they never existed, even if it's the whole story the press tries to tell.
SHAMEFUL- LIARS.
That doesn't quite live up to
May 1, 2007 - 23:01 ET by MobiusStripThat doesn't quite live up to the spirit of the medal.
So, the spirit of the medal means what? Tenet is certainly pointing fingers at everyone else here. Like so many leaving this sinking ship have done.
I thought the spirit was in giving. Why don't you ask Bush what he was thinking? My answer: Maybe he'll be grateful enough to shut up before I'm out of here.
Cue the MSM silence
May 1, 2007 - 22:05 ET by Free StinkerAnyone catch Christopher Hitchens Slate article? Seems that Tenet stated Saddam had contacts with Al Qaida: A Loser's History (page 2)
Cue the MSM silence on that remark.
Hey Free Stinker
May 2, 2007 - 03:49 ET by SportPoliticsHey Free Stinker, how do libs verify undercover status?
A. Make sure you're a perky chested blonde driving in an open air convertible sportscar into CIA headquarters in open view of the public for 5 years. That "confirms" the secret, dangerous, and covert status for libs.
That wasn't supposed to be a joke, but with liberals, it's beat your head stupid against a moron bag status quo. Words cannot express what a lying idiot you must be in order to buy "their side of things". I guess they're either cackling or have a built in "reject the facts" syndrome, whereby anything that doesn't fit their fantasy, is the VRWC.
I seriously cannot fathom what insane liars they are. Just think what security means to these people. Open air convertible and a cute blonde straight into the MAIN HEADQUARTERS,for YEARS, and that qualifies as covert for our "security oriented" democrats.
I cannot fathom being that stupid, nor that much a liar. It belongs on the "America's Dumbest Criminals" show.
That's where we are, half the nation have become moronic lying retards. Really, that's what it amounts to. It's really astounding. Years of it, with the press entirely "duped" or duplicitious, as well.
It certainly makes me wonder if this nation isn't just a complete and total _ _ _ _ _ _.
Open air convertible and a cu
May 5, 2007 - 14:41 ET by dahliatraversOpen air convertible and a cute blonde straight into the MAIN HEADQUARTERS,for YEARS
I love it! I never saw that until now! But it was that mean George Bush who blew her cover.
The libs are spinning Tenet Noel...
May 2, 2007 - 01:06 ET by SportPoliticsThe libs are spinning Tenet Noel...
Tenet never said the administration was filled with lies. Tenet didn't like Cheney saying Slam Dunk , nor the deep throat reporter blaming him. That's about it, really.
Problem is, the CIA DID BELIEVE WMD WAS THERE ALL ALONG, AS TENET SAID IN HIS INTERVIEW.
Which,must of course must be immediately forgotten, and replaced by some other narrative of who is a "liar", in order that the fact that Tenet who spoke for the whole CIA " WAS ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED SADDAM HAD WMD".
So, there goes sexing up the intel.
But, nevermind about there goes sexing up the intel, and Bush lied soldiers died, since right now we all have the insane liberal tunnel vision and can only think of "what a big blame shifter Tenet is"....
We can all be blind parrots and go with the narrative. I love being a blind lemming moron.
Sports politics observations
May 3, 2007 - 11:41 ET by Roger_IsomHEY!!! I just NOTICED that TOO SPORTS!!! HOW WAS tTenet to be so CERTAIN that Saddam HAD WMDS????
WHO WAS HIS SOURCE???????
If this EVER gets to a GRAND JURY Tenet could be in TROUBLE!!!!!!!
If Tenet had said, "Ye
May 4, 2007 - 09:05 ET by MilesDIf Tenet had said, "Yeah, I did it, I'm the one, look no farther than me, Saddam's gone, I'm glad, I had a big part, so do what you want" ... Tenet would have a lot more stature. The liberals in Congress would publically break his neck for him, true (not that the opportunity still isn't there) but the man's reputation as a square shooter would outlive him.
So, George, you're gonna have to give your Medal of Freedom back, because you don't have what it takes to be the owner of one
Exactly, Miles.
May 5, 2007 - 14:38 ET by dahliatraversExactly, Miles.